India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) signed a MoU on 10th April 2018 with Hyderabad based firm M/s Suraas Impex Pvt. Ltd. for developing a Mega Tourism Destination project at Bhairav Lanka in Kakinada, East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh at an estimated cost of Rs. 550 crores. This is the first of its kind project for the state owned ITDC, which got preferred against several private contenders.

Index Of Economic Freedom 2018: India Ranks 130th, Hong Kong Tops

India jumped 13 places in the last one year to a 130th spot in the latest annual Index of Economic Freedom released by a top American think-tank the Heritage Foundation. As per the latest Index of Economic Freedom, China has jumped one spot to 110th and Pakistan is now at 131 positions. Economic freedom is the fundamental right of every human to control his or her own labor and property. The top 5 countries on the list are- 1. Hong Kong 2. Singapore 3. New Zealand 4. Switzerland 5. Australia

Anish Bhanwala Becomes India’s Youngest CWG Gold Medalist

Fifteen-year-old shooter Anish Bhanwala became India’s youngest gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games, winning the men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Finals with a record score at Gold Coast, Australia. India’s Neeraj Kumar stood fifth at the event. Anish, who is participating in his first Commonwealth Games, won gold at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Sydney 2017.

China launches cloud platform for its scientists

China has introduced China Science and Technology Cloud () to provide scientists with accessible, accurate and secure data services to promote research and innovation. china Science and Technology Cloud (CSTC) has been developed by the Computer Network Information Centre of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Haryana Cabinet approves new rehabilitation policy for slum dwellers

Haryana State Government has approved the slum-in-situ rehabilitation policy in line with Housing for All-2018, under which, urban slum dwellers on Government land will be provided housing facility without relocating them to other areas.As per the policy approved by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Rs 1.67 lakh per dwelling unit will be provided to developer for construction of houses for these urban slum dwellers.

World Bank approves $55mn for Bangladesh project

World Bank has approved $55 million to expand the use of clean renewable energy in rural areas of Bangladesh that do not have access to grid electricity. $55 million has been approved as an additional financing to the Second Rural
Electrification and Renewable Energy Development (RERED II) Project.

SIDBI ties up with CSC to promote MSEs in 115 districts

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has tied up with Common Service Centre (CSC) to run micro enterprises promotion programme (MEPP) in 115 aspirational districts across India. ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2018. Aspirational districts refer to selected 115 backward districts that are lagging on specific development parameters.

ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank repository participants for NERL

National E-Repository Limited (NERL), a group company of National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX), has empanelled ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank as repository participants. As per the agreement, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank will offer pledge finance against electronic negotiable warehousing receipts (eNWR) created on NERL’s repository platform for commodities stored in warehouses registered with Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA)